


The Scent of Roses

by minatoarisatoast



Category: Food Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: Flower Language, M/M, Milk is mentioned, i wrote this to cheer up my friend and i'm glad i did
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-07-12 22:24:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16004540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minatoarisatoast/pseuds/minatoarisatoast
Summary: “Gardenia,” Chocolate breathed, almost reverently. The flowers had started to wilt, and Coffee instantly regretted having not put them in a vase.“What about it?”Chocolate smoothed one of the petals before setting it back down on the desk. “Gardenia,” he murmured, “symbolizes secret love.”





	The Scent of Roses

**Author's Note:**

  * For [elu_chan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elu_chan/gifts).



> Elu, this one's for you. <3

It was still raining as Coffee flipped the sign in the window to “closed”. Letting out a sigh, he stood there and took it all in-- the empty, dim interior of the restaurant, dark shapes that could hardly be classified as tables and chairs unless you’d seen the restaurant earlier, when the lights were on.

Business had been poor today. This rain was the type that made lovers cancel plans; that made families stay home. This rain was the type that was best tolerated indoors, with a book and a mug of cocoa.

Coffee had neither, and though he could whip something up, he didn’t feel like it. There was a reason he’d volunteered to close the restaurant for the evening, after all, despite everyone else having gotten the okay from Master Attendant to retire to their rooms. Milk had offered to help him clean up, but he’d declined. He needed to do this alone.

One of their few customers had left crumbs scattered on one table. Prepping a washcloth, he wandered over, noting how several of the chairs were crooked. He’d have to straighten them later…

He pretended to focus on cleaning the table, with his back to the kitchen. He was alert, though-- listening for anything at all. Footsteps, maybe a voice if he got lucky and the culprit bumped into something.

Well, perhaps “culprit” wasn’t the right word.

_Creak_.

Coffee froze, listening carefully. It was silent for a few heartbeats-- until he heard it again. Whirling around, he crept toward the kitchen, silent as a mouse-- until he hit his foot on a table leg, and let out a curse that was just a little bit too loud. Gods, it really was dark as the devil in here.

He heard footsteps hurrying away, presumably out the back entrance that led into the kitchen.

_I’m an idiot._

The footsteps faded away. Ah, well. There was always tomorrow night.

Abandoning all attempts at stealth, he walked over to the kitchen, and turned on the lights. At first glance, nothing appeared to have changed, until he gave the countertop a second look.

A small bundle of little blue flowers tied together with a sapphire ribbon lay on the surface that had been empty and wiped clean last he’d checked. Coffee approached the counter, glancing around himself one last time before gently picking them up. The ribbon was tied in a neat bow, and silken to the touch.

_It’s happened again. What in the devil’s name is going on?_

* * *

“Again, hmm?” It was Chocolate’s voice behind him as Coffee stared down the five flower bundles that lay on his desk. His roommate chuckled, waving a hand in front of Coffee’s face, as if checking to see if he was still there.

Coffee rolled his eyes. “It’s barely been a week, but it’s all I’ve been thinking about. Do you think someone might be breaking into the restaurant?” He tried to sound nonchalant, but Chocolate just raised both eyebrows and poked him in the shoulder.

Coffee winced and rubbed his shoulder as the other man shook his head and spoke. “Of course not. Coffee, I’m telling you, it’s probably someone you know.”

“I’m just not able to shake the possibility, though--” He stopped, suddenly realizing something. “Chocolate.”

Chocolate sat down on the bed opposite Coffee’s, mattress squeaking as he shifted his position. “Yeah?”

“Do you...know something?”

Chocolate blinked innocently, his expression that of perfect angelic innocence. “Know what?”

Coffee gave him a _look_ , and the other man smirked, like he was keeping a secret.

Coffee spoke again, irritation coloring his voice. “It’s just that, well...You’re always carrying those flowers around with you, aren’t you? Do you know something I don’t?”

Chocolate’s expression brightened, like he’d been dying to say something but had been denied the pleasure. He got up and joined Coffee at the desk, a moment before his expression faltered. Like he was nervous.

“Coffee...have you ever heard of ‘flower language’?”

Coffee blinked, confused. He’d heard of it, of course, but wasn’t familiar with it. “I don’t know. What is it?”

Chocolate picked up the first bundle of flowers, the ones that had arrived that first day, earlier in the week. White with a white ribbon. Coffee had stayed late to help Milk clean up, and he’d found them lying on one of the tables, pocketing them before she could see. At the time, he’d thought one of the customers had left them by mistake.

Now he knew better.

“Gardenia,” Chocolate breathed, almost reverently. The flowers had started to wilt, and Coffee instantly regretted having not put them in a vase.

“What about it?”

Chocolate smoothed one of the petals before setting it back down on the desk. “Gardenia,” he murmured, “symbolizes secret love.”

Coffee’s eyes were fixed on the flower, and then on Chocolate’s hands as he reached for the next one. “Secret...love?”

Chocolate picked up the second bundle of flowers. They were a deep red, with petals like ruffles, tied together with a ruby ribbon. “These,” he said, looking Coffee in the eyes, “represent deep love. Fascination, even.”

Had Chocolate’s eyes always been that color? Coffee was distracted-- by what, he didn’t quite know. Maybe it was the flowers, or how _different_ Chocolate sounded when he spoke like that. Gone was the casual flirtation, replaced by an intense sincerity.

It felt...intimate, and it made his heart do unexplainable things. Coffee cleared his throat and looked away, only to feel petals against his fingertips as Chocolate placed the next flowers in his hands. He looked back, this time at the many tiny yellow flowers bundled together with a golden ribbon.

“Yellow acacia...also represents secret love.” Chocolate’s voice was faint this time, almost as if he was unsure of himself. “Do you...want to hear more?”

Coffee’s voice sounded unfamiliar to his own ears. “...Keep going.”

Chocolate hurriedly reached for the next flowers. They were simple, a plain white, but they radiated an elegant beauty. Chocolate brought them to his face, inhaling with his eyes closed.

“What are those?”

Chocolate’s eyes fluttered open, long, dark lashes framing incomprehensibly blue eyes. “Jasmine.”

Coffee’s breath hitched. “And their meaning?”

“Eternal love, and sensuality.”

They reached for the blue flowers at the same time, the flowers that Coffee had found on the countertop earlier. These at least, he recognized.

“...Forget-me-not?” Coffee’s voice was almost a whisper. He blinked, and Chocolate was leaning in close, way too close; close enough that he could smell the faint scent of roses that clung to him wherever he went.

“How could I ever forget you?” Chocolate sighed, and brought up one of his hands to cup Coffee’s face, before changing his mind, eyes hesitating. Like he was nervous.

Everything clicked together in that moment. Coffee almost laughed, relief washing over him. He reached for Chocolate’s hand, taking it in his own.

He grinned. “It was you...wasn’t it? You were the one leaving the flowers. And to think I thought it was the devil’s work…”

Chocolate smiled, but there was something sad behind the smile-- and maybe something hopeful too, but Coffee wasn’t sure. “Do you now know what I’m trying to say?” The words came out as a whisper.

Coffee thought he knew-- he hoped he was right, anyway. Praying to whatever gods might be listening that he wasn’t wrong and wasn’t about to make a huge mistake, he pulled Chocolate into a kiss.

He felt the other man tense up, surprised, before relaxing into the kiss. The scent of roses enveloped the two of them, and it took Coffee a moment to notice the tears streaming down Chocolate’s face as he kissed him back.

He wasn’t sure what roses meant in flower language, but right now, he was reasonably sure he could guess.


End file.
